Heuchera plant named ‘Silver Scrolls’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘Silver Scrolls’, characterized by its proporational plants with respect to quantity of flowers to foliage density; unique leaf coloration: silvery-metallic with tracings of dark veins; numerous showy white flowers on erect cylindrical-shaped panicles; and excellent garden performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHeuchera, botanically known as Heuchera sp., and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name Silver Scrolls.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. The objective of the breeding program isto create new Heuchera cultivars having good vigor and uniform planthabit; showy and attractive flowers; attractive silvery-metallicfoliage; and good garden performance.

The new cultivar was selected by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., fromseedling progeny from the Inventor's cross made in 1996 of the Heucherasp. cultivar Harmonic Convergence, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.11,111, as the male or pollen parent with the Heuchera sp. cultivarPetite Bronze Pearl (unpatented) as the female or seed parent.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by divisions and by cuttingstaken at Scottdale, Pa., has shown that the unique features of this newHeuchera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Heuchera plant has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature, light level, nutritionaland water status without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Silver-Scrolls’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish the new Heuchera plant as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Proportional plants with respect to quantity of flowers to foliagedensity.

2. Unique leaf coloration: silvery-metallic with tracings of dark veins.

3. Numerous showy white flowers on erect cylindrical-shaped panicles.

4. Excellent garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons in Scottdale, Pa., under commercialpractice, plants of the new Heuchera differ from plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Harmonic Convergence, in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Heuchera have cylindrical-shaped panicles that areheld upright whereas plants of the new cultivar Harmonic Convergencehave conical-shaped panicles that are held perpendicular to about 45°from vertical.

2. Foliage of plants of the new Heuchera has a silvery metallic sheenwhereas foliage of plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence does nothave a metallic sheen.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera are white in color whereasplants of the Harmonic Convergence have pink-colored flowers.

4. Plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence have exerted styles andrecurved petals whereas plants of the new Heuchera do not have exertedstyles no recurved petals.

In side-by-side comparisons in Scottdale, Pa., under commercialpractice, plants of the new Heuchera are different from plants of thefemale parent, the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Heuchera are larger with larger inflorescences andlarger leaves than plants of the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl.

2. Foliage of plants of the new Heuchera is mostly silvery metallic withdark veins whereas foliage of plants of the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearlare uniformly bronze-green in color.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera are white in color whereasplants of Petite Bronze Pearl have light pink-colored flowers.

4. Plants of the cultivar Petite Bronze Pearl have exerted styleswhereas plants of the new Heuchera do not have exerted styles.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the commercialcultivar Pewter Veil, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,984. Inside-by-side comparisons in Scottdale, Pa., under commercial practice,plants of the new Heuchera are different from plants of the cultivarPewter Veil in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Heuchera have cylindrical-shaped panicles that areheld upright whereas panicles of plants of the cultivar Pewter Veil havean open habit and are outwardly spreading.

2. Foliage of plants of the new Heuchera is mostly silvery metallic withdark veins whereas foliage of plants of the cultivar Pewter Veil hassmall areas of metallic coloration suffused with purple.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera are white in color whereasplants of the Pewter Veil have yellowish green-colored flowers.

4. Flowering stems of plants of the new Heuchera are more suitable forcut flowers than flowering stems of plants of the cultivar Pewter Veil.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the nonpatentedcommercial cultivar Palace Purple. In side-by-side comparisons inScottdale, Pa., under commercial practice, plants of the new Heucheradiffer from plants of the cultivar Palace Purple in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Heuchera have panicles that are held uprightwhereas panicles of plants of the cultivar Palace Purple are freelyspreading.

2. Foliage of plants of the new Heuchera is mostly silvery metallic withdark veins whereas foliage of plants of the cultivar Palace Purple areuniformly bronze-purple in color.

3. Foliage color of plants of the new Heuchera is retained under highlight and temperatures conditions whereas foliage color of plants of thecultivar Palace Purple fades to bronze-green under high light andtemperatures conditions.

4. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera are white in color whereasplants of Palace Purple have green-colored flowers.

5. Flowering stems of plants of the new Heuchera are more suitable forcut flowers than flowering stems of plants of the cultivar PalacePurple.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Heuchera.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Silver Scrolls’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up viewof typical leaves of ‘Silver Scrolls’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet comprises a close-upview of a typical flower stem of ‘Silver Scrolls’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in Scottdale, Pa., in a glass-covered greenhousewith day temperatures ranging from 16 to 27° and night temperaturesranging from 4 to 16° C. depending upon the season. Plant used for thedescription and the photography was about nine month old. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification: Botanical: Heuchera sp. cultivar Silver Scrolls.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.—Heuchera sp cv. Harmonic Convergence, disclosedin U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,111.

Female or seed parent.—Heuchera sp. cv. Petite Bronze Pearl(unpatented).

Propagation:

Type.—By divisions, by cuttings or by tissue culture.

Time to initiate roots.—About 14 days at temperatures of 21° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 30 days at temperatures of 21° C.

Root description.—Young plants, fibrous; older plants becoming woody.

Plant description:

Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, rounded foliage with numerousupright and strong flowering stems.

Vigor.—Vigorous, rapid growth rate.

Crop time.—From cuttings or rooted tissue-cultured plantlets, about ninemonths are required to produce mature flowering plants. Plants typicallyproduced in 15-cm containers.

Plant height, soil level to top of foliage.—About 13.5 cm.

Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 67.5 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 42.5 cm.

Foliage description:

Arrangement.—Rosette, single.

Length.—About 7 cm.

Width.—About 6 cm.

Shape.—Rounded cordate, 7-lobed.

Apex.—Broadly obtuse, lobed.

Base.—Cordate.

Margin type.—Crenate, ciliate.

Venation pattern.—Reticulate.

Texture.—Slightly rough, slight pubescence on lower surface.

Color.—Marbled effect of silvery-metallic with tracings of dark veins.Young foliage, upper surface: 198A, underlain with 187B. Young foliage,lower surface: 187B. Mature foliage, upper surface: 198A. Maturefoliage, lower surface: 187B. Venation, upper surface: 189A underlainwith 200A. Venation, lower surface: 187B.

Petiole.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 187B.

Durability of foliage to stress.—High.

Flower description:

Natural flowering season.—Late spring and early summer, May and June inthe Northern Hemisphere.

Flower arrangement.—Numerous single flowers arranged on erect featherycylindrical panicles on upper half of flowering stem; usually about 100to 150 flowers per flowering stem. Flowering stems uniform in shape anddense with numerous flowers. Flowering continuous with numerousflowering stems forming throughout the flowering period; usually about 3to 10 flowering stems per plant.

Flowering stem length.—About 30 to 35 cm.

Flower appearance.—Campanulate, persistent. Individual flowers lastabout one week on plant.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.

Flower depth (height).—About 6.5 mm.

Flower bud.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Bulbous.Color: 57D. Rate of opening: About 2 to 3 days.

Petals.—Appearance: Thin. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Arrangement:Radially symmetrical with five petals. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Acute.Margin: Entire. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Color: Whenopening and fully opened, inner surface: White, close to 155D. Whenopening and fully opened, outer surface: White, close to 155D.

Sepals/calyx.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a radially symmetricalcalyx tube. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture:Thin, pubescent. Sepal color: Upper surface: White, close to 155D. Lowersurface: Distal, white, close to 155D; proximal, 57D; scattered hairs,tipped with 57D. Calyx length: About 6 mm. Calyx diameter: About 5 mm.

Peduncles.—Length (crown of plant to lowest flowers): About 32.5 cm.Angle: Erect, upright. Strength: Strong. Color: 187B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five. Anther shape:Oval. Anther size: About 0.2 mm. Anther color: 25A. Amount of pollen:Scarce. Pollen color: 23B. Gynoecium: Pistil number: Two. Pistil length:About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 157C. Style length:About 3 mm. Style color: 157D. Ovary color: 157D.

Seed description.—Length: About 0.6 mm. Diameter: About 0.3 mm. Color:Black, close to 202A.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance to diseasescommon to Heuchera has not been observed.

